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Posts tagged ‘pardons’

Today’s TWO Politically INCORRECT Cartoons by A.F. Branco


Branco Cartoon – Going Out of Business Sale

A.F. Branco | on July 16, 2025 at | https://comicallyincorrect.com/branco-cartoon-going-out-of-business-sale/

Autopen Pardons
A Political Cartoon by A.F. Branco 2025

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A.F. Branco Cartoon – The White House is now investigating the Biden autopen scandal for apparent reasons. Most believe that Biden wasn’t cognitively capable of knowing what was being signed or why.

BRANCO TOON STORE

BREAKING: White House Counsel Now Investigating Growing Biden Autopen Scandal – 1 Million Documents Under Review

By Cristina Laila – The Gateway Pundit – July 15, 2025

The White House is now investigating the growing Biden autopen scandal, according to Fox News.
The White House Counsel’s Office is expected to review over 1 million documents.
The National Archives has already handed over more than 27,000 documents to investigators.
The White House Counsel’s Office is working with the Justice Department in this autopen investigation.
Fox News reported:
The White House is investigating former President Joe Biden’s use of the autopen, with senior administration officials telling Fox News Digital that they already are reviewing tens of thousands of documents turned over by the National Archives and… READ MORE

Branco Cartoon – The Blunt Truth

A.F. Branco | on July 17, 2025 at | https://comicallyincorrect.com/branco-cartoon-the-blunt-truth/

Gavin Newsom Defends Using Illegal Alien Labor
A Political Cartoon by A.F. Branco 2025

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A.F. Branco Cartoon – Gavin Newsom defends illegal Aliens working in California, many of whom are children.

BRANCO TOON STORE

California Pot Farm (and Newsom Donor) Under Investigation For Child Labor Violations After 10 Illegal Alien Juveniles Found at Facility During Raid

By Cristina Laila – The Gateway Pundit – 07/17/2025

A California marijuana farm is under investigation for child labor violations after 10 illegal alien juveniles were found at the facility during an immigration raid on Thursday.
Federal agents descended on two marijuana farms in Ventura County owned Glass House Farms located in Camarillo and Carpinteria in Southern California on Thursday.
The co-founder of Glass House Farms, Graham Farrar, is a Gavin Newsom donor.
“According to California public campaign finance records, he also donated $10,000 to California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2018, and his most recent public political donation was to California Democratic Assemblymember Gregg Hart in July 2023,” Fox News reported… READ MORE

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DONATE to A.F. Branco Cartoons – Tips accepted and appreciated – $1.00 – $5.00 – $25.00 – $50.00 – it all helps to fund this website and keep the cartoons coming. Also Venmo @AFBranco – THANK YOU!

A.F. Branco has taken his two greatest passions (art and politics) and translated them into cartoons that have been popular all over the country in various news outlets, including NewsMax, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and “The Washington Post.” He has been recognized by such personalities as Rep. Devin Nunes, Dinesh D’Souza, James Woods, Chris Salcedo, Sarah Palin, Larry Elder, Lars Larson, Rush Limbaugh, Elon Musk, and President Trump.

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HUMOR, Political

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Autopen Scandal Deepens. Could Pardons Be Invalidated?


By: Jarrett Stepman | July 14, 2025

Read more at https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/07/14/autopen-scandal-deepens-could-pardons-be-invalidated/

Close-up of Joe Biden standing in front of American flag.
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The so-called autopen scandal appears to be getting worse for former President Joe Biden as more information comes to light.

Biden, some of his former staffers, and a handful of thought leaders in the Democratic Party have attempted to triage the message about the inner workings of the previous presidential administration. But tangible evidence is mounting that it was effectively run like a kind of politburo.

The New York Times released an interesting report Sunday afternoon that included a short interview with Biden saying he made decisions on clemency that were carried out with an autopen. In the final month of his presidency, Biden pardoned a number of high-profile people and granted clemency to an additional 1,500.

High-profile examples included his son, Hunter Biden, members of the Jan. 6 committee, former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley.

“Everybody knows how vindictive [President Donald Trump] is, so we knew that they’d do what they’re doing now,” Biden said in the Times interview. “I consciously made all those decisions.”

Some of the people on the 1,500-person list were violent criminals including virtually everyone on death row.

Biden insisted that he was “conscious” of all his administration’s decisions (a contention not helped by his rambling responses).

But snippets from the Times’ report calls that claim into question.

“Mr. Biden did not individually approve each name for the categorical pardons that applied to large numbers of people, he and aides confirmed,” the Times reported. “Rather, after extensive discussion of different possible criteria, he signed off on the standards he wanted to be used to determine which convicts would qualify for a reduction in sentence.”

On Biden’s last day in office Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients gave approval to use the autopen in the cases of Fauci and Milley, according to the Times.

In addition, the Times reported that Biden’s staff who drafted the blubs for acts of clemency admitted that they weren’t in the room with the president when approval for signing them was made.

Whatever the intent of Biden or this report, it certainly didn’t clear up the suspicion that Biden wasn’t mentally competent to make decisions and that his staff and perhaps other people were essentially usurping executive power they didn’t have. When you combine that with the recent decision by Biden’s White House doctor to continually plead the Fifth Amendment to remain silent at a recent closed doors House hearing and former first lady Jill Biden’s chief-of-staff Anthony Bernal suddenly becoming uncooperative with the autopen investigation it certainly raises suspicion.

And that’s a potentially enormous scandal, even bigger than the media’s coverup of the president’s health. Not only was the country put in danger with an out-to-lunch commander in chief, but members of his staff may have been wielding unconstitutional powers on his behalf.

Trump said to reporters Monday that the autopen scandal may be one of the biggest in American history, and he may be correct.

It’s a big stinking deal, to paraphrase Biden in his more lucid days.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wrote on X that “as a legal matter, that ANY pardon Biden did not ‘individually approve’ is NULL & VOID.”

Cruz may have come to this conclusion based on the testimony of a witness at a recent Senate hearing on the autopen use and abuse. Cruz asked Theodore Wold, a visiting fellow for law and technology policy at The Heritage Foundation, whether an executive order signed by a staffer who autopen signs it without the president’s knowledge is legally binding.

Wold answered, “No.”

Unfortunately, there is very little precedent here to rely on to determine what the status of those pardons is. So, this may end up being more of a political battle than a legal dilemma.

I suspect this is why close associates of Biden are becoming closed lipped. This is about more than just Biden’s legacy or the media’s shame. It’s about whether Biden’s pardons are legally binding. It’s about whether members of the Biden White House misused their power. Did they commit fraud?

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., who is the chairman of a Senate committee looking into the autopen use, suggested that’s a possibility.

One way or another, the American people deserve answers. 

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corruption, Political

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Today’s Politically INCORRECT Cartoon by A.F. Branco


A.F. Branco Cartoon – Left in The Lurch

A.F. Branco | on January 22, 2025 | https://comicallyincorrect.com/a-f-branco-cartoon-left-in-the-lurch/

No Pardons for Hillary
A Political Cartoon by A.F. Branco 2025

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A.F. Branco Cartoon – It seems Biden has pardoned almost every criminal in Washington, DC, but missed one of the biggest of all, Hillary. She must be feeling left out and hung out to dry. Will she ever answer for her crimes? Benghazi, 30,000 missing emails, and the Russia collusion hoax come to mind.

LOATHSOME: Biden Regime Reportedly Considering Preemptive Pardons for Several of Trump’s Enemies Including Liz Cheney, Adam Schiff, and Anthony Fauci

By Cullen Linebarge – The Gateway Pundit – Dec 4, 2024

The lawless Biden regime is not satisfied with the White House occupant’s pardon of his ne’er do well son Hunter and is looking to give even more of the political class’s worst characters a complete pass on their crimes.
Politico on Wednesday dropped an explosive report that Biden’s handlers are strongly considering issuing preemptive several current and former government officials who they believe will be in the incoming Trump administration’s crosshairs.
The outlet notes that the Regime has become even more panicked since Trump announced he was picking MAGA hero Kash Patel to drain the Deep State swamp and ensure those who persecuted Trump do not escape punishment. READ MORE

DONATE to A.F. Branco Cartoons – Tips accepted and appreciated – $1.00 – $5.00 – $25.00 – $50.00 – it all helps to fund this website and keep the cartoons coming. Also Venmo @AFBranco – THANK YOU!

A.F. Branco has taken his two greatest passions (art and politics) and translated them into cartoons that have been popular all over the country in various news outlets, including NewsMax, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and “The Washington Post.” He has been recognized by such personalities as Rep. Devin Nunes, Dinesh D’Souza, James Woods, Chris Salcedo, Sarah Palin, Larry Elder, Lars Larson, Rush Limbaugh, and President Trump.

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Crime, Law, Political

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Peaceful Transition: Undermine, Disrupt, Repeat


By: Kevin Jackson | December 9, 2024

 Read more at https://theblacksphere.net/2024/12/peaceful-transition-undermine-disrupt-repeat/

Democrats love promising a “peaceful transition of power,” but history—and their actions—tell a different story.

When Obama handed the reins to Trump, he made a big show of professionalism while his DOJ quietly sharpened its knives. Four years of investigations, conspiracies, and obstruction later, the Democrats finally ousted Trump using their COVID-19 coup, complete with ballot-stuffing, midnight counting, and media complicity. But their victory was short-lived, leaving Biden with the unenviable task of ushering in yet another “peaceful transition”—this time back to Trump.

Biden’s Legacy of Chaos

Let’s take stock of what Joe Biden is leaving behind. Start with Bidenflation:

  • $36 trillion in federal debt, up $13 trillion since 2020.
  • Interest rates that discourage investment, particularly for small businesses. Families struggling to stretch their dollars farther than a triathlete on a treadmill.
  • Instead of financing our recent $1.8 trillion federal budget deficit by issuing 10- and 30-year bonds, Janet Yellen has instead loaded up on two-year Treasury bills in a what has been described as “a nakedly political effort to avoid a massive jump in mortgage rates.” Mortgage rates created by Bidenflation, I remind you.

Aristotle wrote about “moderation in all things,” but he didn’t anticipate Joe Biden or Leftism. Biden’s economic policies aren’t just unmoderated; they’re unhinged. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is drained to critical levels, energy prices are volatile, and Biden’s administration seems to think solar panels is the answer.

And what of the military? It’s in shambles. Recruitment numbers are dismally low, matched by our stockpile of weapons. We can thank Biden for his proxy war in Ukraine and his failure to manage the Middle East, where Iran and its proxies, including a resurgent Al Qaeda that recently took control of Syria flex their muscles. In short, the world is a much less safe place under Joe Biden.

And then there’s the Department of Justice, which under Biden and Obama transformed from an institution of law to a political cudgel. Public trust in the DOJ is at an all-time low, but Biden isn’t addressing the problem—he’s doubling down, reportedly planning to pardon key players in his administration to shield them from accountability.

The Irony of Democrat Spending

If Biden’s administration were a business, it would be Enron. Trillions of dollars are unaccounted for across multiple agencies. The CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) were boondoggles, diverting taxpayer money to pet projects that failed to deliver. Even Biden admitted the IRA was less about reducing inflation and more about funding the global climate agenda. John Podesta, the man controlling $375 billion from the IRA, might as well be handing out blank checks at a lobbyist convention.

Let’s not forget Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who burned $7.5 billion on eight electric vehicle charging stations. That’s a cost-per-station that would make Elon Musk burst out laughing—or crying. And Kamala Harris, armed with $42 billion for rural internet, has accomplished as much as she did at the border: absolutely nothing.

Funding the Resistance?

A recent exposé from Project Veritas revealed EPA adviser Brent Efron bragging about funneling money to tribes, nonprofits, and states as quickly as possible before Trump’s team could intervene.

“It feels like we’re on the Titanic and throwing gold bars off the edge,” he said.

For once, the metaphor fits: Democrats are sinking, but they’re determined to take everyone else down with them.

“We gave them the money because it was harder if it was a government-run program, they could take the money away, if Trump won.”, Efron exclaims.

Even Elon Musk weighed in, calling the video proof that “the U.S. government is actively working to undermine the American people.”

Trump’s Transition Team: From Chaos to Competence

Trump has made it clear that his second term will prioritize results over rhetoric. His administration will cut through the debris of Biden’s failures with laser focus, appointing experts—not diversity freaks—to tackle America’s most urgent problems.

  • Energy independence will be restored.
  • Government employees will be expected to actually show up to work as President Trump dismantles Biden’s attempt to prevent 42,000 workers at the Social Security Administration from having to return to the office.
  • Wasteful spending on unproductive programs will be slashed.

Gone will be the carnival of incompetence that defined the Biden administration. Trump’s team will hit the ground running, undoing four years of damage in record time.

Peaceful Transition This!

Aristotle said, “The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.” The Biden administration proved to be a masterclass in hypocrisy and self-destruction. And their transition has been no different.

Despite inheriting the worst administration in history, Trump’s first 100 days will be epic. And the transformation of America back to greatness will begin on Day One. A short of adrenalin is about to hit America, and it will last 4 years, challenging the boom of the Clinton years.

If Trump performs as I predict (and he will), Democrats will be hard-pressed to win major elections for the next decade at least.

In short, Trump doesn’t care about the so-called “peaceful transition”. He has a man on his team who can replace NASA. And he appointed others who are equally talented in their own ways. Gone are the DEI appointments, and freak show of the Biden administration. This transition team knows it’s at war with Biden. And like the election, this too will be an easy victory.

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Law, Political

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Pardons, Power, and Protecting the Crooked: Biden’s Legacy of Legal Abuse


By: Kevin Jackson | December 6, 2024

 Read more at https://theblacksphere.net/2024/12/pardons-power-and-protecting-the-crooked-bidens-legacy-of-legal-abuse/

Biden, angry, Kevin Jackson

Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution grants the president the authority to pardon offenses against the United States, a power intended to provide fairness and avoid prosecutorial abuses. Alexander Hamilton envisioned this clemency as a tool to “restore the tranquility of the commonwealth.” But in the hands of Joe Biden, the pardon power looks less like a tool for justice and more like a sledgehammer wielded to shield a crumbling empire of corruption.

Biden’s recent pardon of his son Hunter has spotlighted the blatant hypocrisy of the Left’s use of clemency. After years of moral grandstanding, claiming the high road on justice and accountability, Democrats are now orchestrating mass pardons to shield themselves from the fallout of their own malfeasance.

Pardons as Preemptive Damage Control

During Trump’s presidency, Democrats practically dared him to issue preemptive pardons for his family, projecting their own propensity for guilt on the former president. When Trump pardoned Jared Kushner’s father, the media spun it as though he had pardoned Kushner himself. That narrative stuck, fueling the perception of Trump as corrupt, even as his actual record on pardons tells a different story.

Trump, notably, did not pardon his children or any close associates preemptively or otherwise. Why? Because they weren’t guilty of anything. Contrast that with Biden, whose pardons aren’t just reactive—they’re preemptive damage control for an administration rife with misconduct.

Leaks suggest Biden is for a laundry list of allies, including Adam Schiff, Liz Cheney, Anthony Fauci, and members of the January 6th Committee. These aren’t minor players; they are key figures in the systemic abuse of power targeting Donald Trump and his supporters. The January 6th Committee alone violated so many laws it could be a semester-long case study at any law school.

Then there’s Fauci. A pardon for Fauci essentially extends to the entire health bureaucracy—NIH, FDA, CDC—that oversaw the disastrous COVID-19 policies. Lockdowns, vaccine mandates, suppression of dissent, and the mishandling of public trust—it’s no wonder Biden would want to sweep this under the rug.

A Record-Breaking Abuse of Power

Historically, presidents have used pardons sparingly, often to right specific wrongs. Franklin D. Roosevelt holds the record with 2,819 pardons and 3,796 total acts of clemency, largely for people convicted under Prohibition laws. Barack Obama granted 1,927 acts of clemency, including a controversial commutation for Chelsea Manning.

But Biden’s pardon spree could make FDR’s record look modest. Biden’s administration isn’t dealing with isolated cases of injustice—it’s mopping up the collateral damage from years of systemic corruption.

Consider the scope:

  • The FBI: With over 37,000 employees, including 10,000 special agents, the agency’s involvement in targeting Trump and MAGA supporters is well-documented.
  • The CIA and NSA: These agencies, with a combined workforce exceeding 50,000, played their parts in surveillance and misinformation campaigns.
  • IRS and FISA Courts: From targeting conservative groups to enabling dubious investigations, their roles can’t be ignored.

Biden’s pardons could easily extend to thousands of individuals across these institutions, creating a tsunami of public outrage. This isn’t about restoring tranquility; it’s about cementing a legacy of corruption while protecting a broken system.

Democrats: Masters of Projection

The hypocrisy is staggering. Democrats who lambasted Trump for imagined abuses of power are now actively orchestrating the largest clemency cover-up in history. When Joy Reid and Adam Schiff criticized the idea of preemptive pardons, they framed it as an admission of guilt. Yet here we are, watching Biden prepare to issue blanket pardons to his political allies without a shred of irony.

Hunter Biden’s pardon set the tone: a sweeping, decade-long absolution for crimes ranging from tax evasion to illegal firearm possession. The message? Rules are for the little people.

Trump: A Study in Contrast

Trump’s approach to pardons highlights the glaring differences between the two administrations. While Biden’s pardons shield the guilty, Trumps were measured and purposeful. Trump used his clemency power to address specific injustices, such as Alice Johnson’s over-sentencing or the persecution of Michael Flynn. More importantly, Trump didn’t shield himself or his family. His restraint underscores the integrity of his administration compared to the flagrant abuses we’re witnessing now.

Rebuilding Trust in Justice

Biden’s pardon spree will leave a lasting stain on America’s institutions. But it also presents an opportunity for renewal. When Trump returns to office, he will face the monumental task of rebuilding trust in law enforcement and intelligence agencies. This starts with accountability. Anyone receiving a Biden pardon should be immediately dismissed from public service. A pardon may erase legal culpability, but it doesn’t absolve moral or professional failure. The system must be purged of those who abused their positions for political gain.

Restoring faith in justice won’t be easy, but it’s essential. Americans need to believe that no one—not even the president—is above the law.

The Firestorm to Come

Biden’s mass pardons will ignite a firestorm in the American psyche. The fallout will resonate for decades, exposing the depth of corruption in our government. But it also serves as a rallying cry for reform.

The Left’s strategy of weaponizing clemency to protect their own has backfired. Instead of tranquility, they’ve sown chaos. And as the dust settles, what America will see is the scattered carcasses of Democrats who participated in this farce.

Justice must prevail, not as an act of revenge, but as a restoration of the principles that made this nation great.

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corruption, Crime, Family, Law, Political

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Democrat squirms as CNN host grills him for evidence of explosive claim that GOP lawmakers sought pardons after January 6


Reported by CHRIS ENLOE | June 13, 2022

Read more at https://www.theblaze.com/news/bash-grills-raskin-evidence-gop-lawmakers-pardons/

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) refused to say Sunday whether the House Jan. 6 Committee has evidence that Republican lawmakers sought pardons from then-President Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 riots. At the prime-time Jan. 6 Committee hearing last Thursday, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) claimed multiple Republican lawmakers contacted the White House seeking presidential pardons. Cheney singled out Rep. Scott Perry (R-Penn.), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus.

“As you will see, Rep. Perry contacted the White House in the weeks after Jan 6. to seek a presidential pardon,” Cheney said, adding, “Multiple other Republican congressmen also sought presidential pardons for their roles in attempting to overturn the 2020 election.”

The committee, however, failed to present evidence at the hearing supporting the claim, and Perry has since denied the allegation.

“The notion that I ever sought a Presidential pardon for myself or other Members of Congress is an absolute, shameless, and soulless lie,” Perry said last Friday.

During an interview with Raskin on “State of the Union,” CNN host Dana Bash pressed Raskin on those explosive claims and whether the committee has evidence to corroborate them. The Maryland Democrat, however, refused to directly answer the question.

“How many of your colleagues in Congress did that? And what evidence do you have?” Bash asked. “Because you know that congressman Scott Perry is denying it.”

“Yes,” Raskin responded. “Well, the seeking of pardons is powerful demonstration of the consciousness of guilt, or at least the consciousness that you may be in trouble. And that’s what’s so shocking about this. It’s not just one. It’s —”

“And you have evidence that has happened?” Bash interjected.

Raskin responded using passive language, claiming that “in due course” the details of the allegation “will surface.”

“So, yes, there’s evidence?” Bash followed up.

“Everything we’re doing is documented by evidence,” Raskin claimed, adding that “everything” the Jan. 6 Committee is doing is “based on facts.”

At no point in the interview did Raskin offer anything to prove the committee’s claims, nor did he directly answer whether the committee, in fact, has the evidence to prove that multiple GOP lawmakers sought presidential pardons.

Bash asks Raskin if he thinks Trump should be indicted youtu.be

At any rate, the committee’s talking points are clear. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) used the exact phrase that Raskin used regarding the pardon allegation — “consciousness of guilt” — in an interview last Thursday.

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Political

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Trump issues wave of pardons in final hours as president


Reported by W. James Antle III | Washington Examiner | January 20, 2021

President Trump issued 73 pardons and commuted the federal sentences of 70 other people in the final hours of his administration, headlined by former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. Trump also granted relief to rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, who were convicted on weapons charges, as well as to former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick, a Democrat, was convicted of mail fraud, wire fraud, and racketeering. He was serving a 28-year sentence. Trump through the White House press secretary cited Diamond and Silk and Pastor Paula White, strong supporters of his, as backers of commuting Kilpatrick’s sentence.

Elliott Broidy, the former deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, received a full presidential pardon. He was convicted on one count of conspiracy to serve as an unregistered agent of a foreign principal. Trump invoked Rep. Devin Nunes of California and Ambassador Richard Grenell, among other friends of the White House, as supporters of the pardon.

The last-minute acts of clemency cap four years of controversial pardons of supporters and allies, including former 2016 campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Republican operative Roger Stone, former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, former national security adviser Michael Flynn, former campaign aide George Papadopoulos, former Reps. Duncan Hunter and Chris Collins, and Charles Kushner, father of the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

Other recipients of Trump pardons who raised eyebrows included former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, four Iraq War veterans convicted in a Blackwater shooting, former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik, conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza, and Scooter Libby, who had served as chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. Trump pardoned Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, two former border patrol agents whose cases had long been championed by immigration hawks.

Trump has also occasionally issued pardons to further the goals of criminal justice reform, such as when he granted clemency to Alice Marie Johnson, a first-time nonviolent drug offender who spent 21 years in prison. “That means you can do whatever you want in life,” Trump told her in the Oval Office earlier this year. He had previously commuted her life sentence in 2018.

Death Row Records co-founder Michael “Harry O” Harris was granted early release from prison, where he had served three decades for attempted murder and cocaine trafficking. Rapper Snoop Dogg praised the move. These acts of clemency have generally received more positive reviews than Trump’s pardons of political supporters and personal associates, rekindling the former reality TV star’s once-chummy relationship with Hollywood.

Kim Kardashian West has visited the White House to advise Trump on less famous people who could benefit from pardons and commutations. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, tweeted Wednesday night that he was “more interested” in seeing Trump’s pardons than President-elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees.

A number low-level drug offenders were included in the current Trump list. Some supporters had hoped he would strike against the “deep state” by pardoning WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Edward Snowden, who leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency while a federal contractor. They were not on the pardons list.

Trump has also used the pardon power to strike back at the investigation conducted by special counsel Robert Mueller, which the president has regularly described as the “Russia hoax.” This led to the pardons of Manafort, Stone, Papadopoulos, and, to a lesser extent, Flynn. Trump repeated the phrase “Russian collusion hoax” in announcing a full pardon for Paul Erickson. Mueller’s final report did not establish the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential election.

Bannon was charged with defrauding donors who hoped to help privately fund the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, a key Trump campaign promise. Bannon, a staunch proponent of the president’s populist and nationalist variant of conservatism both before and after serving in the White House, has denied the allegations. He had yet to stand trial.

In the days leading up to the final pardons, there was rampant speculation that Trump might pardon family members or even himself. Acts of clemency for Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, or Ivanka Trump, three of the president’s adult children, were thought to complicate any political future they or their spouses might be entertaining. The constitutionality of a presidential self-pardon has been debated by legal scholars.

Trump was reportedly warned by top aides not to pardon anyone involved in the “Stop the Steal” rally prior to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by die-hard supporters of the president who were protesting the certification of Biden’s Electoral College victory. The House voted to impeach Trump for inciting the riot, and a Senate trial will follow after he leaves office, potentially paving the way for legislation to prevent him from running again in 2024. Five people died in the riots.

Trump has steadfastly maintained the election was stolen due to widespread voter fraud, though he has in recent days acknowledged “a new administration” will be taking power at the conclusion of his term. The slew of pardons beginning in December were also seen as a concession that his time in the White House was coming to a close.

Read the full article: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/politics/trump-issues-final-pardons

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Political

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Obama issues final round of sentence commutations


waving flagAuthored By Lydia Wheeler and Jordan Fabian – 01/19/17

URL of the original posting site: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315107-obama-issues-final-round-of-sentence-commutations

Obama issues final round of sentence commutations

President Obama on Thursday commuted the sentences of 330 inmates on his final full day in office, the White House announced. Obama has set a record with his aggressive use of clemency power. The 1,715 commutations granted during his eight years in office are more than any president in the nation’s history. Of those, 568 were sentenced to life in prison.

“You have been granted a second chance because the president sees the potential in you,” White House counsel Neil Eggleston wrote in a blog post. “The president concluded that you have taken substantial steps to remedy your past mistakes and that you are deserving of a second chance.” More Liberal Gibberish

This latest round comes just two days after Obama doled out 209 commutations and 64 pardons, including a shorter prison stay for former Army soldier Chelsea Manning. Obama received blowback from Republicans and some Democrats on Capitol Hill over the decision to set Manning’s release for May 17, 2017.

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The former army private, who is transgender, received a 35-year sentence for leaking classified information about U.S. national security activities that were later disclosed by WikiLeaks – the longest sentence anyone’s ever received for a leak conviction.

Retired Gen. James Cartwright was also given a second chance. The former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was accused of lying to the FBI about his conversations with reporters regarding U.S. efforts to cripple Iran’s nuclear program was among those pardoned this week.
But Thursday’s batch did not contain those types of names or other well-known political figures who have typically received clemency from past presidents during their final days. For example, Obama faced pressure to offer commutations or pardons to former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl and former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D).  Instead, the list was made up of non-violent drug offenders on whom Obama has focused his attention during the past two-plus years.
Obama started a clemency initiative in 2014 designed to shorten drug sentences he views as unjust.
In many cases, the sentences were handed down under federal mandatory minimum guidelines that have since been rolled back by Congress.  But conservatives have been critical of the unprecedented rate at which Obama has granted clemency.
“People say, well why should we change the sentencing rules in criminal justice reform if the president can just do it with a flick of his pen?” Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) said earlier this week.
Clemency advocates praised Obama for his action Thursday, calling it a “last act of mercy.” “With this last act of mercy, President Obama has closed out a historic effort to restore some balance and fairness to a federal prison system that has caused needless destruction of thousands of lives and families,” Jessica Jackson Sloan, #Cut50’s national director, said in a statement. The group, which is working to cut the prison population in half, called on President-elect Donald Trump to pick up where Obama left off.
“Clemency can and should continue to play an important role in ensuring that justice is administered smartly and equally,” Sloan said. “We hope President Trump will continue granting mercy to families desperately seeking to be reunited with their loved ones.”picture1
More than half of all federal prisoners are serving time for drug convictions, and #Cut50 said the vast majority had no prior criminal history.

– Updated at 3:29 p.m.

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Today’s Politically INCORRECT Cartoon


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URL of the original posting site: http://comicallyincorrect.com/2017/01/19/obexit/#vlSXBDJjzzVqFrIs.99

Obama Pardoning Manning and Lopez is jab in America’s eye, and sets a dangerous precedent that could effect National security into the future.

Obrexit – Obama Pardons / Cartoon by A.F. Branco ©2017.

To see more Legal Insurrection Branco cartoons, click here.

A.F.Branco 2017 Calendar <—- Order Here!

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